THE WORLD'S WONDERS. filO 



for the starving party had made it necessary to increase slightly 

 his pittance of food to maintain his strength, that he might con- 

 tinue the battle for food and life to the helpless. In his case, 

 however, the effect of this continued effort had told its story in 

 his wasted form. Shorter and shorter journeys were made in 

 good weather, while in the frequent bad weather of that region 

 his strength was so much impaired that when the joyful signal 

 whistle was heard he had only enough left to stagger out to the 

 rocks overlooking the water to see if the signal had proceeded 

 from ships in sight. His first visit was a bitter disappoint- 

 ment, as he saw nothing. A second visit, fifteen minutes later, 

 brought him within fifty yards of the Bear's steam-cutter and in 

 view of the relief ships coming around Cape Sabine. When the 

 steam-cutter ran into the beach where Long was seen he rolled 

 down the ice-covered cliff and was taken into the cutter. He 

 informed Lieutenant Colwell that the location of the camp was 

 just over the cliff. 



"In the case of Sergeant Elison the medical officers were fear- 

 ful from the first that his chances of life were very small. As 

 soon as proper food was available and the digestive functions 

 should be re-established fully, the healthful round of blood cir- 

 culation would begin its distribution of. new life to the injured 

 parts, and inflammation would naturally occur. If Elison's 

 strength should increase more rapidly than the inflammation, am- 

 putation of the injured parts would perhaps save his life. Sev- 

 eral days after his rescue, June 28, Dr. Green reported that 

 Elison was threatend with congestion of the brain. The symp- 

 toms increased rapidly until the poor fellow lost his reason. At 

 Godhaven his condition was so critical that the surgeon of the 

 expedition, after consultation, determined to amputate both feet 

 above the ankle as the only chance of life left the sufferer. Dis- 

 ease, however, triumphed, and amid the bleak scenes that had 

 surrounded him for three years in his heroic sacrifice, and within 

 the desolate solitude of that region of everlasting ice and snow, 

 surrounded by his sorrowing comrades, he passed away about 

 three A. M. of July 7, three days after the amputation. 



